A Green Wine

This Somewhat Rare Pinot Noir Is Worth Finding

This past week I was having dinner with a few friends and came across an Oregon Pinot Noir that I had not tasted in a few years. It was from Stoller Family Estate, and that’s what we ordered. It was a 2011, and the choice was a good one. Think cherry and delicate oak, which is what one first notices. Winemaker Melissa Burr has been with Stoller since 2003, and her experience shows in this Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. After a few minutes in the glass, some cinnamon and bark came through. Alcohol is at 12.7 percent, and tannins are relaxed. It’s a juicy, fun-to-drink wine. Duck breast was at the table, and this wine paired well with it, as it did with the roast chicken.

Stoller was founded in 2001 and operates Oregon’s first LEED-certified, solar-powered gravity-flow winery, so if you want to support Green, this is a wine for you. The 2001 is not widely available, but you can purchase the 2011 Reserve Pinot Noir direct from the winery for $45, or the 2013 vintage (non-reserve) for $30.